Buy, Sell or Hold OKTA Stock? Key Tips Ahead of Q2 Earnings

Core Insights - Okta (OKTA) is expected to report second-quarter fiscal 2026 results on August 26, with anticipated non-GAAP earnings between 83-84 cents per share and revenues projected at $710-$712 million, reflecting a year-over-year growth of 10% [1][9] Financial Performance - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings has remained steady at 84 cents per share, indicating a year-over-year growth of 16.7%, while the revenue consensus is pegged at $711 million, showing an increase of 10.1% from the previous year [2] - Okta has consistently beaten the Zacks Consensus Estimate in the last four quarters, with an average earnings surprise of 13.53% [2] Business Growth Factors - Okta's expanding product portfolio, particularly in security and identity governance, is expected to drive client acquisition and revenue growth, with approximately 20,000 customers reported at the end of the first quarter of fiscal 2026 [3] - The number of customers with over $100,000 in Annual Contract Value increased by 70 sequentially to 4,870, indicating strong subscription revenue growth [3] - New product momentum, including offerings like Identity Governance and Identity Threat Protection with Okta AI, is anticipated to contribute positively to the upcoming quarter's performance [4] Strategic Partnerships - Okta benefits from a robust partner ecosystem, including major companies like Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, and Salesforce, with over 7,000 integrations with various applications and IT infrastructure providers [5][17] Market Position and Competition - Despite strong growth, Okta faces challenges from sluggish federal business and competition from Microsoft and other enterprise security providers like SentinelOne and Cisco [6] - Year-to-date, Okta shares have increased by 13.9%, outperforming the Zacks Computer & Technology sector and the Zacks Security industry [7] Valuation Insights - Okta's stock is currently considered overvalued, with a Value Score of D, and a forward 12-month Price/Sales ratio of 5.22X, higher than competitors like SentinelOne and Cisco [11] - For fiscal 2026, Okta expects revenues between $2.85 billion and $2.86 billion, indicating a growth of 9-10% from fiscal 2025 [16] Financial Health - Okta ended the first quarter of fiscal 2026 with $2.73 billion in cash and investments, with net cash provided by operations at $241 million and free cash flow at $238 million, raising free cash flow margin guidance to approximately 27% for fiscal 2026 [18]